South Africa’s Vegas

Set in the centre of an ancient volcano valley, surrounded by the Pilanesberg mountains and rising from the dust, the fantasy resort of Sun City shimmers beneath the African sun. Life-size, gilded statues of lions and elephants are scattered across the resort alongside artificial beaches and rows of slot machines. The resort serves no other purpose than to entertain.

Cut the cards at the casino, attend extravagant shows at the Sun Bowl, tee off at the Gary Player golf course’s 13th hole – home to Nile crocodiles – or take in the resplendent Lost City from a hot air balloon. The Valley of Waves attracts water enthusiasts with its man-made tropical beach unleashing 1.9m waves, while a 17m drop down a chute and into a plunge pool is only for the brave-hearted. Languidly bob along the resort’s lazy river in a colourful floating tube.

The cultural village of Motseng offers insight into South African traditions and lifestyle through passionate song and dance, vivid storytelling and divination. Let the local sangoma cast the bones for your future, meet crafters stitching beads into intricate patterns and shoot pool at the shebeen (informal drinking spot). Nearby, the Pilanesberg National Park’s open grasslands play host to a variety of wildlife.

Highlights

Sun City is an entertainment resort offering excitement in its casino, theatre, and crocodile-dotted Gary Player golf course

Water enthusiasts will enjoy the artificial beaches with generated 1.9m waves, 17m-drop down a chute into a pool, and a lazy river to drift down on floating tubes

The living cultural village of Motseng offers insight into South African traditions and lifestyle through passionate song and dance, vivid storytelling and divination

Pilanesberg National Park’s open grasslands and wooden valleys play host to a variety of wildlife